One of the most commercially important developments in the field of food technology is the food processor. These units are becoming increasingly popular in both home and institutional kitchens and efficiently perform a wide variety of tasks including slicing, chopping, grating, etc. of many different food items. In general, such food processors include a base housing enclosing a drive unit having a vertically extending drive shaft. Mounted upon the base housing is a working bowl which has a central well, or other liquid sealing arrangement, through which the drive shaft passes. Interchangeable rotating tools are supplied which normally include a central hub which is mountable upon the drive shaft. The tools are then rotatable within the bowl with the blades or other food processing components extend from the hub toward the side wall of the bowl. The top of the bowl is closed by a removable cover which carries a vertically extending hopper or feed tube through which food items are fed into the bowl. A pusher is normally supplied which is insertable into the hopper to advance food against the rotating tool. Examples of food processors of this general type will be found in the following United States patents:
______________________________________ Patent No. Issued Inventor ______________________________________ 3,892,365 July 1/75 Pierre Verdun 3,985,304 Oct.12/76 Carl G. Sontheimer ______________________________________
It is often desired to introduce an ingredient in metered quantities to a food during the period of processing. It would be desirable, for example, to add a salad dressing to a salad in a food processor during the time the salad is being shredded or mixed. Similarly, milk could most advantageously be added to whipped potatoes while they are in the process of being whipped. In prior food processors, it has been awkward to add such an ingredient, and so much an ingredient has been dumped all at once into the working bowl by temporarily stopping the machine and removing the cover or else has been introduced into the bowl along with the other ingredients at the beginning of the food processing operation.
In fact, in many instances liquid or comminuted solid ingredients may be best added to foods while they are in the process of being macerated, chopped, or otherwise worked. Furthermore, this can be most efficiently accomplished by allowing the additive to enter the food in a slow, but steady, metered flow. It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a rotary food processor with a conveniently usable metering dispenser. Other objects are to provide such a dispenser without complicating the processor by adding parts thereto; and to provide such a dispenser at substantially no additional expense. Other objects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the following description and appended claims.